Adjustable piston for engines



c. c. 'BUSBY. ADJUSTABLE PISTON FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I4, ISIS.

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A TTORNEICS -C. C. BUSBY, ADJUSTABLE PIS'ITON FOR ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, 1918.

I 1,358,825. Patented NOV. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- TIH. 3

INVENTOR. (M45155 6. Ba/sax al/"1W A TTORNEYJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. BUSBY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 HARRY L. HAMMOND,

OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ADJUSTABLE PISTON FOR ENGINES.

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and

State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Adjustable Piston for Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to adjustable pistons for engines, and is more particularly applicable for use in connection with internal combustion engines, although it may be used upon other forms of engines and for other purposes. I

The prime feature of the invention is the provision of means for expanding the walls of the piston for maintaining a perfect fit with the interior of the cylinder, and to' compensate for any wear upon the piston or cylinder.

A further feature of the invention is to so construct the expansible parts of the piston that the major portion of the piston may be constructed of light material, such as aluminum, while the adjustable part thereof is formed om heavier metals, such as iron.

A further feature of the invention is in so constructing the outer face of the piston proper, and the inner face of the adjustable part, that the outer face of the adjustable part, when moved longitudinally of the main portion of the piston, will be moved 'into close proximity to the inner face of the cylinder.

A further feature of the invention is in so constructing the movable elements of the piston sections that said sections can be readily expanded. I

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for adjusting the movable part of the piston and holding the same in its adjusted position.

A further feature of the invention is in so positioning the adjustable elements of the piston, that the pin, employed for connecting the piston arm or rod to the piston, w1ll be prevented from moving lengthwise and engaging the Walls of the cylinder.

A further feature of the invention is in so constructing the adjustable elements that parts thereof will overlap to prevent leakage Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 14', 1918. Serial no'. 266,796.

of oil or gases between the piston and cylinder.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter more fully set for'th ;and pointed out in the accompanying specifications.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a central'vertical sectional view through one cylinder of an engine, and through the piston cooperating therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the piston removed from the cylinder. Fig. 3 is an inner end elevation of the piston. Fig. 4 is a sectional view as shown on line 1- 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the adjustable parts of the piston in slightly separated position.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several "iews, 1 indicates a cylinder of an engine, which in this instance is shown as of the in ternal combustion type, and cooperating with said cylinder is a piston 2, the inner wall of which is provided with bosses 3 in which is positioned a pin 4 employed for holding the piston rod 5 in engagement with the piston, the opening through the bosses 3 extending entirely through the walls of the piston as is usual.

The upper end portion of the piston 2 is provided with the usual form of packing rings 6, which when expanded form a close engagement with the interior wall of the cylinder 1. That portion of the piston 2 below the packing ring is reduced in diameter to form a circumferential shoulder 7, the outer face wall 8 of that portion of the piston below the shoulder '7 being tapered inwardly from the shoulder to the inner end of the piston. Cooperating with the outer face wall 8 is a sleeve or shell 9 which is preferably formed in sections 10 and 11, the

, meeting edges of said sections being preferably cut on a zigzag line as shown at 12 in Fig. 2 so as to form overlapping parts 13 and 14, whereby when the sections of the shell are expanded, to compensate for any wear, said overlapping parts 13 and 14 will prevent the leakage of oil or gases between the sections of the shell. The inner wall 15 of the shell 9 is tapered reversely to the taper of the face 8, so that as the sleeve or shell is moved on the piston 2 the sections end of the piston 2, or with that portion thereof carrying the packing rings.

The sections of the sleeve 9 are securely held in their adjusted positions, and are likewise moved longitudinally to adjust the same, throu h the medium of adjusting bolts 18, wiich extend through ears 19 formed on the sleeve 9 and are threaded into the ears 20 extending inwardly from the end portion of the piston 2, said bolts, if desired, being also extended through the 4 washers 17. As best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings the pin 4, employed for attaching the piston rod to the piston, is held against longitudinal movement by means of a. set screw 21. Frequently this set screw becomes loosened and permits the pin to move lengthwise, and in the ordinary construction of piston, the pin would engage the wall of the cylinder 1 and cut a channel therein, but in the present instance the inner end of the sleeve 9 projects over the ends of the pin 4 and even though the set screw did come loose it would be impossible for the pin to come in contact with the wall of the cylinder. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when the piston is first applied to use, the end of the sleeve 9 ispositioned some distance from the shoulder 7 so that the sleeve may have longitudinal adjustment without coming in contact with the shoulder, and by so spacing the sleeve from the shoulder a circumferential channel 22 is provided around the piston which serves to retain lubricants, and thus more thoroughly lubricate the interior of the cylinder.

In operating the device for expanding the walls of the piston, after the parts have been used a sufiicient length of time to cause slight wear, one or more of the washers is removed, depending upon the amount of wear upon the parts of the piston or the cylinder, and the bolts 18 then turned'to force the flange at the end of the sleeve against the remaining portion of the washers between said flange and the end of the piston. This operation moves the sleeve lengthwise of the piston, and in view of the tapered face of the piston and sleeve, the outer face of the sleeve will be moved into proper cor'iperative relation with the inner wall of the cylinder, thus compensating for any wear that may have taken place either on the sleeve orthe cylinder. This operation is repeate'd'from time to time until the sleeve is worn out, under which circumstances a new sleeve may be substituted for the worn sleeve.

By maintaining a perfect fit between the sleeve of the cylinder and the face of the piston, air or excess lubricant, except such as is required to properly lubricate the in v terior of the cylinder, is prevented from passing between the piston and the cylinder, and consequently the full driving force of the exploding material is directed against the end of the piston, and furthermore by preventing air or lubricant from gaining access to the-cylinder above the piston, carbon is practically eliminated from the interior of the cylinder and .upon the spark plugs.

Furthermore by providing the adjustable sleeve the remaining portion of the piston may be made of aluminum, as it receives no particular Wear, thus greatly reducing the weight of the piston and adding to its driving power, as it requires less power to drive the piston than one constructed of heavier metals.

In engines of the ordinary construction, the piston, in view of the action thereon of the piston rod, and the crank shaft, causes the cylinder to wear faster at two sides of the piston than on the opposite two sides, or. rather at points directly at right angles thereto, but with this invention this wear is eliminated by keeping the parts properly adjusted and the interior of the cylinder is maintained in a perfect circle at all times.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with a piston having a portion thereof reduced in diameter, the wall of the reduced portion being tapered, of a sectionalized sleeve for cooperation with said reduced portion, the inner face of said sleeve being tapered coincident to the taper of the-wall of the piston, and means to adjust the positions of said sleeve sections for increasing the diameter thereof without changing the shape of said sleeve sections.

2. The combination with a piston having a tapered outer wall, of a sectionalized sleeve having a tapered inner wall for cooperation with the tapered wall of the piston, means for adjusting the positions of said sleeve sections for separating the same,

' and means for holding the sleeve in its adj usted position.

3. The combination with a piston having sleeve without changing the shape of "said ton for increasing the diameter thereof sleeve sections. without changing the shape of said sleeve 4:. The combination with a piston having sections and without said sleeve sections 10 a body portion, of an expansible sectional being disengaged from said body portion.

5 sleeve for cooperation with said body por- In witness whereof I have hereunto aftion, and means to adjust the positions of fixed my signature. said sleeve sections with respect to the pis- CHARLES C. BUSBY. 

